Obama has authorized his chief political adviser, Valerie Jarrett, to conduct a full-court press to convince Warren to throw her hat into the ring.

In the past several weeks, Jarrett has held a series of secret meetings with Warren. During these meetings, Jarrett has explained to Warren that Obama is worried that if Hillary succeeds him in the White House, she will undo many of his policies.

He believes that the populist Warren is the best person to convince the party faithful that Hillary is out of touch with poor Americans and the middle class. Warren, in his view, would carry on the Obama legacy after he leaves the White House…

“Both Valerie and Michelle Obama have convinced the president that Elizabeth Warren is his Mini-Me,” said a person who has discussed the issue with Jarrett.

That’s from Edward Klein, who, coincidentally, has a new book out right now featuring this very anecdote. (When he asked a Democratic operative for comment about Obama and Warren, the reply came back, “It’s all bullsh*t.”) First obvious question: When was the last time an incumbent president bypassed his own secretary of state — and VP, if Biden’s serious about running — to support a longshot ideologue in a primary? Second, more substantive obvious question: Which Obama policies would President Hillary “undo”? She might be more hawkish than him but no one thinks she’s going back into Afghanistan or, gasp, Iraq. She certainly wouldn’t repeal ObamaCare. And, for obvious reasons, she’s even more eager than lame-duck O is to pander to Latino voters, ensuring that she’d follow his expansionist lead on amnesty. Which other major Obama initiatives are there beyond those for her to conceivably threaten? The punchline here is that the Clintons are hunting around for a platform or “big idea” to run on and the most likely option is — ta da — Elizabeth Warren’s. Framing her candidacy as a quasi-populist crusade against income inequality helps Hillary in all sorts of ways: It’ll soothe the left in the primaries, mask the Clintons’ establishment stink, and give them a “serious” prefab narrative for the general election to distract from Hillary’s lack of distinction as a policymaker. (The real narrative of the campaign, of course, is “First! Woman! President!”, but Democrats will want to pretend they’re offering something more substantive than that.) Even if Obama preferred Warren’s agenda to Hillary’s non-agenda, what savvy pol wouldn’t prefer to have Warrenism incorporated into the Clinton brand at the top of the ticket rather than rolling the dice on Warren herself?

The silliest thing about this is that, of the two of them, Warren would be much more likely to run against Obama’s record than Hillary would. Hillary’s stuck with O’s foreign policy and, as a former cabinet member, can’t be too harsh in attacking him on domestic policy. Warren can attack him full force, though — that’s the whole reason the left’s eager for her to run. She can make the purist liberal critique of O’s centrist failures, starting with financial reform, that the Clintons can’t. For Obama to prefer Warren to Hillary, he’d have to be so disgusted at the meagerness of his own legacy that he’d want the next nominee to call him a failure rather than defend that legacy as a success worth building on. Ideologue though he is, does he strike you as the sort of guy whose ego would permit him to do that?

BuzzFeed has other excerpts from Klein’s book, my favorite of which involves Hillary allegedly calling O an MFer while sipping wine at a luncheon with Wellesley alumnae. Sounds legit. And speaking of books, apparently no one is reading Hillary’s. Because why would you? It’s a pre-campaign souvenir, something to be displayed on your shelf a la an “I Like Ike” button circa 1952, not something to be read.

Blowback

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speaking of books, apparently no one is reading Hillary’s. Because why would you? It’s a pre-campaign souvenir, something to be displayed on your shelf a la an “I Like Ike” button circa 1952, not something to be read.

The difference being Ike buttons are sought after collectibles while Hillary’s book is on it’s way to the 2 for a $1 bin. Ike pins are displayed, HRC books are doorstops.

Allah, the McDaniel campaign has a presser in a few minutes. I know you’re not covering Mississippi, but since it’s a slow day…

Here’s a thought: Cochran and the Barbour Mob hired the same crew (Scooby Doo Warren’s crew) that Democrats use to get out the black vote. It seems highly probable that Scooby got out the very same votes he always gets out (with some extras because Cochran & Barbour paid more.) But the votes he got out for Democrats in the June 3 primary are ineligible to vote in the Republican runoff.

No one should be surprised if McDaniel’s people announce they have found thousands of Illegal crossovers from the Democrat primary to the Republican runoff.

And that act of backstabbing alone should disqualify Kristie Kreme from EVER holding higher office in the Republican Party.

ConstantineXI on July 7, 2014 at 3:49 PM

I hate Crispie for embracing Ovomit in 2012 but wouldn’t blame him overmuch for Booker. First, there is no one in my state who could possibly get within 5 percents of him, probably including Christie himself. And second, as Dem Senators go Booker is fairly milquetoast – even more of an empty suit than Obama. Compared to Menendez, he’s practically a Republican.

But “I Like Ike” buttons were worn before they made it to the shelves. The only reason so many survived intact and in good shape was because they turned out millions of them.

Hillary’s book has only the recycling bin to look forward to.

Look, obviously Klein isn’t getting anything from the Obama side, so all this stuff either comes from those close to Hillary, boosting her and slamming Barry in an attempt to give her needed distance, or from Warren herself, who would love people to think it even if she doesn’t run.

But we definitely need a plan for the future, and it can include repeal of many of Obama’s mistakes, ObamaCare and the regulatory mess, the anti-coal regs, the VA, the BLM, the IRS. We need to work on unified solutions to all those areas, because Democrats will defend them all to the last drone standing.

I hate Crispie for embracing Ovomit in 2012 but wouldn’t blame him overmuch for Booker. First, there is no one in my state who could possibly get within 5 percents of him, probably including Christie himself. And second, as Dem Senators go Booker is fairly milquetoast – even more of an empty suit than Obama. Compared to Menendez, he’s practically a Republican.

I don’t think anyone should underestimate either Obama’s sheer cussedness or his hatred of the Clintons. Unprecedented has described his entire political career. Kicking over the traces on one more traditional aspect of American political tradition seems well within reach. And sticking a shiv in Hillary seems perfectly in line with his character.

Second, more substantive obvious question: Which Obama policies would President Hillary “undo”?

Cloward-Piven. Herself may be just as far left as Barry is, but I don’t believe that she would actively work to destroy America, as Barry is. He hates white people and he hates everything that is the USA.

I heard Limbaugh say today that no one would vote for Warren. He is so very wrong. Again. Warren hit a chord with the American worker. Working class folks are tired of seeing their jobs, etc offshored. Not that I’d vote for her. I’d have to vote Jeb Bush if he’s the nominee. Holding my nose as I pulled the lever.